Even though the diesel seems like a huge step backwards for Ford, tech-wise, there is no denying that the new baby Raptor will be ready to rumble when the going gets rough. That’s because the lifted is getting widened fenders, chunky BF Goodrich All-Terrain tires, a Watts Link rear suspension, and extended-travel Fox Racing shocks as standard.

If you still somehow manage to overcook a turn, the engineers saw fit to give the new Ford Ranger Raptor uprated, 13″ brakes and a clever host of “driving modes” that amount to a whole mess of electronic nannies meant to save the “No Fear” crowd’s bacon.

Lest you disagree that Hackett’s Ford is somehow not abandoning the US to seek out less regulated pastures, consider this: that awesome-looking, kickass Ford Raptor Ranger up there? It’s RHD only, and will be sold exclusively in Australia and other Asia Pacific countries for the foreseeable future.

Come- join me in the comments section and voice your collective gripes and bitches so that Ford shareholders might read them. Worst case, we might get an Ecoboost Ranger Raptor in the US somewhat sooner than later. Enjoy!

KBA, a German auto industry watchdog, has found illegal emissions control software in Audi’s newest Euro 6 diesel vehicle models, forcing the Volkswagen-owned company to recall more than 127,000 new TDI equipped Audi cars.

The German newspaper Bild am Sonntag is reporting that Audi has been given until February 2nd to submit plans to the KBA regarding software updates for the emissions control systems of the vehicles in question. For its part, Audi has issued a statement saying that, “The engine control software for the vehicles in question will be completely revised, tested and submitted to the KBA for approval.”

Reuters provided a bit more context, stating that, “In November, Audi announced a recall of 5,000 cars in Europe for a software fix after discovering they emitted too much nitrogen oxide, the polluting gas that parent Volkswagen concealed from US regulators in its devastating, $18 billion ‘dieselgate’ scandal … Volkswagen was found in 2015 to have illegally manipulated engine software so that vehicles would meet nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions standards in laboratory testing but not in real-world conditions, where they could emit up to 40 times the permitted levels. Several Audi models were affected and Audi has been accused in media reports of having devised the so-called defeat devices years earlier but not to have installed them in its vehicles at that time. Audi and Volkswagen have never commented on the matter.”

What do you think? Will they get off scot-free, or will the people involved this second time around get even more (well-earned) jail time than the first guys? Let us know what you think in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

The traditional Big 3 of American automakers each had a radically redesigned truck to show off at this week’s North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. For Ford, it was the long-awaited resurrection of the Ford Ranger, but over at the GM booth was some potentially bigger news: the Chevy Silverado pick up is all new for MY2019.

Compare Chevy’s 600,000 number to the 1550 Model 3 deliveries Tesla managed to make happen in the same period and you can begin to see that even a slight improvement in Silverado fuel economy has the potential to make a much bigger impact on the environment than the Model 3 (so far, at least).

INTRODUCING THE ALL NEW CHEVY SILVERADO FOR 2019

Most functional bed of any full-size truck, including class-leading cargo volume

Up to 450 pounds lighter from mixed materials use for improved performance

Six engine/transmission choices, including an all-new Duramax 3.0L inline-six diesel

Eight models, each with distinct personalities for different truck customers

DETROIT — Chevrolet introduced the next-generation Silverado today, exactly 100 years after the brand delivered its first trucks to customers in January 1918. The all-new Silverado sets the course for the next century of Chevy Trucks with the most functional bed of any full-size truck, weighs up to 450 pounds less for increased performance and offers a broad range of trims and engine/transmission combinations to help each customer find their ideal truck.

“With the all-new Silverado, we’ve taken the best truck on the road and made it even better,” said Mark Reuss, General Motors executive vice president of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain. “It has a longer wheelbase, more passenger and cargo volume, and yet, thanks to our mixed materials strategy and mass reduction expertise, the new truck is 450 pounds lighter than the current model.”

Larger, more functional and more capable bed

“Truck customers value capability and functionality above all else,” said Tim Herrick, executive chief engineer of Full-Size Trucks. “Every truck — including the luxurious High Country — is a work truck with a job to do. As such, we set out to create the best tool for the job at hand, one that makes work more productive and more enjoyable, no matter what they call ‘work.’’’

The bed is the defining trait of every pickup, and bed construction has long been a strength of Chevy Trucks. To improve upon that strength, the 2019 Silverado 1500 bed features:

Best-in-class cargo volume: The 2019 Silverado offers the most cargo volume in every bed length, with the short-box offering 63 cubic feet of volume — up to 20 percent more than a competitor’s short-box. Most of that volume was created by widening the maximum width of the bed floor nearly seven inches. Chevrolet Accessories will offer storage bins that fit over the wheel wells, offering nearly seven cubic feet of lockable cargo space for short-box models, while easily accommodating a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood flat on the cargo floor.

Higher-strength steel floor: As before, the Silverado has a roll-formed, high-strength steel bed floor. For 2019 a higher-grade steel is used, with yield strength increased from 340 to 500 megapascals of pressure for optimal strength and mass.

More and stronger tie-downs: Silverado now has 12 fixed tie-downs, and their strength has doubled to 500 pounds of force before bending. Silverado also has nine moveable tie points for even more cargo flexibility.

More features: Silverado will be available with a class-exclusive power up/down tailgate that can be operated from the key fob, interior button or by hand. Other changes include available task lighting, a 120-volt power outlet and larger cutouts in the class-exclusive CornerStep bumpers to better accommodate steel-toed boots.

With class-leading cargo volume and class-exclusive features, the new Silverado offers the most functional bed of any full-size truck, and more convenient hauling for cargo of virtually any size or shape.

Larger, lighter and more agile

The 2019 Silverado is larger than before, including a wheelbase that is up to 3.9 inches (100 mm) longer and an overall length that is 1.6 inches (41 mm) longer, enabling both more cargo volume and more interior room for all cab lengths. Remarkably, it’s also lighter, weighing 450 pounds (204 kg) less than today’s truck when comparing crew cab V-8 models.

The weight savings comes from extensive use of mixed materials and advanced manufacturing processes throughout the next-gen truck. This allowed Chevrolet to use the right material for the application and optimize every component for mass, durability, safety and functionality to meet our customers’ needs.

For example, the body is 88 pounds (40 kg) lighter than before due to mixed materials use. All exterior swing panels (doors, hood and tailgate) are made of aluminum while fixed panels (fenders, roof and bed) are made of steel. The underlying safety cage uses seven different grades of steel, each tailored for the specific application.

The fully boxed steel frame is also 88 pounds (40 kg) lighter than its predecessor, while offering 10 percent greater torsional rigidity. Eighty percent of the frame is made of high-strength steel varying from 2 to 5 millimeters in thickness, and every millimeter is optimized for performance using a variety of processes, including hydroforming, roll forming, conventional stamping and tailor-rolled blanking. As a result, frame sections, gauges, grades, processes and materials strategically vary to maximize strength, durability and stiffness without adding unnecessary mass.

Mixed materials also play a part in the all-new suspension. The front independent short/long arm suspension features new forged-aluminum upper control arms that are lighter and provide better wheel alignment than the stamped component they replace. The live-axle rear suspension is also redesigned, including new carbon-composite second-stage springs on LT models that save about 12 pounds (5 kg) per side over the steel springs they replace.

The 2019 Silverado will be available with six engine/transmission combinations, giving customers more combinations of performance, efficiency and value to best fit their priorities. This includes new 5.3L and 6.2L V-8s with industry-first Dynamic Fuel Management that actively shuts off any number of cylinders, in a variety of combinations, depending on immediate needs to optimize fuel economy. The result of this industry-first technology is instant power when called for, and impressive efficiency.

The Silverado will also be available with an all-new Duramax 3.0L inline-six turbo-diesel. Chevrolet offers diesel engines in more segments and models than any other brand, including Equinox, Cruze, Colorado, Express, Silverado 1500, Silverado HD and upcoming Silverado medium-duty models.

Both the 3.0L diesel and 6.2L engines are paired with a new Hydra-Matic 10-speed automatic transmission as well as start/stop technology to improve fuel economy for optimum performance and efficiency.

No “one size fits most” trucks

“Truck customers told us they want the perfect truck for them and not a ‘one size fits most’ truck, compromised for the masses,” said Mike Simcoe, vice president, Global Design, General Motors. “That insight shaped our design strategy with eight distinct models, each with a unique personality to fit different customers, from the affordable Work Truck to the luxurious High Country.”

All models introduce a modern, powerful design with a strong dose of Chevy Truck DNA. For example, the “CHEVROLET” name stamped on the tailgate recalls iconic Chevy trucks of the 1950s and ‘60s, while the integrated dual exhausts and up to 33-inch tires reflect modern customer preferences.

The Silverado’s bold, modern design is also surprisingly aerodynamic. Key elements of the front grille are front functional air curtains, similar to those introduced on the sixth-generation Camaro, that reduce aerodynamic drag by routing air around the front wheel wells. The powerful side profile further enhances aerodynamics, including an integrated spoiler at the rear edge of the cab that directs air onto the tailgate lip, reducing wind drag from the bed. Changes like these result in a 7 percent increase in aerodynamic efficiency.

The new Chevy Silverado offers eight trims (see descriptions, next page), designed for three distinct buyer profiles:

“High Value” customers want the capability of a full-size truck at a great value.

“High Volume” customers represent the heart of the truck market, requiring the capability of a full-size truck as well as the creature comforts of a passenger vehicle.

“High Feature” customers represent the fastest-growing part of the truck market and want luxury-car refinement and appointments without sacrificing capability or durability.

The eight trims also reflect another key differentiator for truck buyers: chrome. “Chrome has become more polarizing, and more personal, than any other aspect of truck design,” said Rich Scheer, director, Exterior Design, Chevrolet Trucks. “Some customers want no chrome at all and only body-color or blacked-out trim. Others feel a truck isn’t a truck without a chrome bumper, but feel extra chrome can be too ‘flashy.’ Others want as much chrome as they can get.”

Accordingly, the eight trims are tailored to give customers a wide range of features and levels of chrome, enabling customers to choose the best truck for their personal preferences.

More functional and more connected interiors

The interior design was also strongly influenced by customer feedback. Because truck owners use their vehicles for both hauling cargo and transporting people, customers’ top priorities were more comfortable seating, more interior cargo storage and more functional, easy-to-use controls.

Accordingly, the cab has been stretched, with crew-cab models now offering 3 inches of additional rear-seat legroom for an impressive 44.5 inches of front legroom and 43.8 inches of rear legroom.

New available storage options include two 10-liter bins integrated in the second-row seatbacks for holding small items like gloves or tie-down straps, as well as a large 24-liter storage tray under the second-row seat that can secure everything from gallons of milk to fishing rods and tackle boxes.

Every surface has been designed for function and ergonomics, from the rotary knob textures to the infotainment screen angle. Even the luxurious High Country is subjected to stringent durability tests, including 100,000 seat-slide tests to make sure the supple seats meet the expectations of our toughest owners.

The Silverado was already the first pickup to offer 4G LTE Wi-Fi connectivity, Apple Car Play, Android Auto, wireless phone charging and OnStar safety and security features. For 2019, that leadership will be improved with new safety and convenience features to be announced later this year.

Making the Most Dependable, Longest Lasting full-size trucks even more so

“Truck customers told us they depend on their trucks for much more than just transportation,” said Herrick. “Many use their trucks to earn a paycheck, or to do what they enjoy most when they’re off the clock. Given how important trucks are to our customers, we set a lofty goal for exceeding the dependability and longevity of the current Silverado.”

To do so, the engineering team doubled many of the key validation metrics for the next-gen truck, making it the most-tested vehicle GM has ever produced. That includes accumulating a staggering seven million miles of real-world testing before the first Silverado is delivered to customers.

The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado will be on display at the North American International Auto Show through Jan. 28 in Detroit. Production of the 2019 Silverado will begin at the Fort Wayne, Indiana Assembly plant, ranked the highest-quality plant in North America by J.D. Power and Associates, with customer deliveries beginning this fall.

2019 Silverado 1500 Trim Levels

High Value:

Work Truck features “CHEVROLET” graphic across the grille and tailgate, blacked-out trim and 17-inch steel wheels for maximum durability. The interior features durable vinyl or cloth seats and 7-inch color touch screen.

LT features chrome accents on the bumpers, front grille and mirror caps, Chevrolet bowtie in the grille, LED reflector headlamps and signature daytime running lights. The interior features an 8-inch color touch screen and available leather seating surfaces

RST (new for 2019) brings a street-performance appearance to the LT, with body-color trim, full LED lighting (foglamps, headlamps and taillamps) and up to 22-inch wheels with all-season tires.

LTZ features chrome accents on the bumpers, front grille, mirror caps, door handles and hockey-stick belt line as well as power folding and heated outside rearview mirrors. Leather interior trim is standard equipment.

High Country features an exclusive front grille design with two-tone chrome and bronze finish, body-color accents plus chrome assist steps from wheel to wheel. It also includes the power up/down tailgate as standard equipment.

An Internal Combustion Engine Ban Will Happen

Mary Nichols, head of the powerful California Air Resources Board, said last fall that she gets “love notes” frequently from Governor Jerry Brown asking why the state is not aggressively following the lead of China and the other nations. Brown is an ardent proponent of the Paris climate accords and has pledged that his state will meet or exceed the goals set by those agreements despite the backwards-looking approach adopted by federal officials in the Trump maladministration. (Good one! -Ed.)

At present, even though more zero-emissions cars are sold in California than any other state, they still account for only 1.9% of new car sales there. There are 300,000 electric cars in California at the moment, so getting to 100% electric in the next 22 years is an ambitious goal. Whether it can be achieved will depend a lot on lower battery prices and increases in EV charging infrastructure, especially for the millions of apartment and condo dwellers in the state (in any state, really) who, currently, are unable to recharge their vehicles overnight at home.

The push for zero-emissions vehicles will set up what could be a cataclysmic confrontation with federal officials. California currently enjoys an exemption from EPA rules that permits it to impose higher emissions standards than those in the other 49 states. The Trump Administration’s EPA, under the incompetent guidance of Scott Pruitt, could revoke that exception, a move that would provoke a legal challenge from California which will claim it has the legal right to protect the health and welfare of its citizens even if others are content to see their residents suffer shorter, less healthy lives in order to satisfy the insatiable greed of the fossil fuel industry.

During most weeks on Gas2, readers respond primarily to stories about electric vehicles and a seemingly not so far-in-the-distance future in which electrified and even shared low emissions transport is the norm. This week, however, the stories that inspired the most comments from our loyal readers centered around different transportation options that might reduce emissions— fuel cells, compressed natural gas, diesel, and even a new wheel concept that will aid automatic emergency braking systems.

And another non-electric vehicle story warmed our readers’ hearts this week: a tale reminiscent of those golden days of the 20th century in which the throaty growl of a V-8 with tail fins brought us together as U.S. citizens through a collective if environmentally degrading automotive identity.

Here are those stories and more on this week’s edition of the “Gas2 Week in Review.” (Of course, in case you missed them, you may also want to check out the ever-popular Tesla treatises about software updates and the dilemma about finding charging stations on long distance drives.)

The fourth generation fuel cell for the new Hyundai is more powerful, more efficient, and has longer range than the unit used in the current Tucson FCEV. Efficiency of the fuel cell is now 60%, range is up to 800 kilometers (500 miles), the rating is coming in at 161 horsepower, and the low temperature operation has improved to as low as -30 degrees Celsius (-22 degrees F). Even with all those caveats, Gas2 reader comments reminded us that “hydrogen is NOT clean. 95% of hydrogen is produced from natural gas in a process that produces, yes, carbon” as well as “over $1 TRILLION to build a hydrogen infrastructure.”

Just days after German auto executives and political leaders met in Berlin in an apparent bid to save diesel engine technology, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has apparently conceded that diesel’s days are numbered in the wake of the Volkswagen and Mercedes emissions scandals.

Despite German manufacturers committing to contribute to a fund worth 500 million Euro (approx. $590 million) to finance measures to reduce urban pollution, the automakers were unanimous in opposing plans by German cities to emulate London and Paris’ plan to remove ICE cars from urban centers by 2040. Merkel seems to have conceded, however, that such bans are the right approach to reducing harmful emissions. “I don’t want to name an exact year,” she said, but Britain and France’s plans to phase out internal combustion-driven cars by 2040 “were the right approach.”

Volkswagen, Daimler, and BMW confront growing public outrage both for lying about their vehicles’ emissions and for underplaying the health effects of diesel fumes and harmful nitrogen oxides. In the meantime, leaders of both of Germany’s major political parties face criticism that they have been too cozy with carmakers by blocking stricter European Union regulation of diesel emissions and providing tax breaks on diesel fuel. Those tax breaks favoring diesel-engined cars, though, will remain in place in the immediate future.

With all the emissions scandals surrounding Volkswagen, Mercedes, Fiat, and even Harley-Davidson, we’ve been talking a lot about diesel engines in the last year, but how many of our readers really understand how diesel engines work compared to gas engines? How many of them really understand how a conventional four-cycle engine works in the first place?

Instead of asking, we’re just going to show you- with more than a little help from this terrific diesel and four-cycle comparison video put together by the gearheads over at CarThrottle. Like them, we’re curious to hear about which of the two concepts you’re a bigger fan of in the comments section- and, no, we’re not terribly interested in discussing how obsolete ICEs may or may not be (save that for the EV posts). Enjoy!

What is the Difference Between Gas and Diesel Engines?

Volvo Cars officially turned its attention away from diesels to focus on electrification recently, but Volvo trucks will still be dependent on diesel for the foreseeable future. As such, Volvo Trucks (which is, actually, a separate company from Volvo Cars) is forging ahead with new design innovations intended to reduce particle emissions and further improve fuel economy. The latest of these innovations is called the Wave Piston, and it’s packing some pretty clever tech into its new shape.

By simply changing the shape of the piston wall used in Volvo’s truck engines, Volvo engineers were able to change the way fuel ignites inside an engine. The new design counteracts the way flame fronts “compete” for oxygen in a conventional engine by leading the flame towards the center of the combustion chamber instead of towards the cylinder walls. The result of the Wave Piston effect is a much cleaner burn, more power per unit of fuel used, and fewer emissions to boot!

All of those benefits are realized thanks to the inclusion of six simple ridges forged into the Wave Piston crown. When the fuel injector spray is diverted into these ridges- as opposed to the center of the combustion chamber- the “combustion waves” created expand outward in concert.

It’s a neat trick, and Kudos to Volvo for spending the thousands of hours of simulation time in CFD needed to get the Wave Piston effect right. You can read more about it in the official Volvo Trucks press release, below, then let us know what you think about the new Volvo Wave Piston in the comments box at the bottom of the article … and, for the record, even Volvo Trucks knows the future is electric, so save your “ICE is obsolete!” nonsense for another post. 😉

Volvo Wave Piston Technology

GÖTEBORG, Sweden – The Volvo Group’s new truck engines are more fuel efficient as a result of their intelligent piston design. Waves have been added to the piston crown to improve the use of oxygen. The engineers behind the piston design innovation have now received the Volvo Technology Award 2017.

Despite the fact that the internal combustion engine (ICE) has been in existence for 140 years, during which time it has undergone continuous development, it still offers scope for improvement.

Jan Eismark and his colleague Michael Balthasar came up with the new wave design, which has now been patented. However, cutting-edge technology was needed to prove that their initial ideas were correct and to determine the exact design of the piston crown. This entailed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and filming the combustion process inside the cylinder at high speed.

In the case of a standard piston, the injector is located at the top of the cylinder and the fuel is sprayed toward the sides of the cylinder through a number of orifices in the injector. The combination of heat and pressure causes the fuel to ignite before it reaches the cylinder wall.

The flame hits the wall of the combustion chamber at a speed of up to 50 meters per second, spreads along the piston bowl wall and then collides with adjacent flames at an angle of 180 degrees, while still traveling at a high speed.

When the flames collide, they compete for the available oxygen. At the same time, the oxygen in the center of the combustion chamber is never fully used.

“For this reason, we wanted to identify a method of leading the flames into the center of the combustion chamber to make better use of the oxygen there,” explains Jan Eismark.

The result of their work was the inclusion of ridges or waves in the piston crown. The piston has six of these ridges and the injector, which is located in the center of the cylinder at the top of the piston, has six orifices to ensure the fuel is sprayed between the ridges that lead the flames into the center.

It must be possible to manufacture any new design cost-effectively in order for it to be used in production vehicles. A large amount of work has gone into developing the piston manufacturing methods to achieve the right balance between the cost of the parts and the benefits for customers. This was followed by thousands of hours of testing to refine the design and verify the durability of the new concept.

This innovative, intelligent solution is now in use in the latest engines from the Volvo Group and brings advantages for both customers and the environment. The more efficient combustion process it delivers has halved the quantity of soot particles emitted by the engine and has also reduced fuel consumption by an average of two percent.

“For heavy vehicles, diesel engine technology will be important for many more years to come,” says Lars Stenqvist, Volvo Group Chief Technology Officer. “I am proud of our engineers who have once again shown that innovative solutions can still make engines more efficient for the benefit of our customers and of society as a whole.”

Volvo CMA Platform

“That’s what I put in as the prerequisite for the United States,” said Volvo’s US chief, Lex Kerssemakers, back in March. “If I want to make a point in the United States, if I want to make volumes, that’s what I believe I need.”

Volvo executives have been giving credit to American electric car maker, Tesla, for kick-starting demand for electric and hybrid vehicles in the US and China. Vehicles that play into Volvo’s stated mission of creating socially responsible, human-focused products. Samuelsson said as much when he was quoted in Reuters, saying that, “We have to recognize that Tesla has managed to offer such a car for which people are lining up. In this area, there should also be space for us, with high quality and attractive design.”

The diesel emissions scandal that rocked Volkswagen to the tune of tens of billions of dollars last year continues to send shock waves throughout the company. VW has all but cancelled its entire diesel vehicle line-up, its subsidiary, Audi, has cancelled its all-conquering LeMans program, and now, rumor are swirling that Volkswagen will sell off the storied Ducati motorcycle brand in a bid to “refocus” its R&D operations on an electric future.

Despite the fairly easy-to-draw lines connecting the Ducati sale to Dieselgate, however, sources at Reuters think something else might be behind the move. “Analysts questioned Audi’s purchase of Ducati when it was announced in April 2012,” says Reuters. “(They were) saying the deal had no economic or industrial logic and just reflected former VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech‘s passion for the Italian company’s expertise on design and light engines.”

Who Would Want Ducati?

One source claims that Ducati could fetch a valuation of up to 1.5 billion Euros. That’s nearly 15 times its core annual earnings – a multiple similar to what Italian firm Fiat got for its super car brand, Ferrari. At that price, Ducati might be attractive to India’s Hero motorcycle company, as well as Chinese money. “It is an asset for trophy buyers with bigger interest in the brand than in the technology,” alleges Reuters’ unnamed source.

What do you guys think? Could a Chinese-owned Ducati fare any better than a German-owned one? And, before you dismiss that idea, consider the product renaissance happening at Volvo. Think it over, then let us know what you think of Ducati’s future prospects in the comments section.

This week in the news at Gas2, we reported on Tesla’s Q4 and 2016 financial numbers and its anticipated production dates for the new Model 3 lower priced EV. Another mega-company is also featured in our Gas2 week in review: Uber, with revelations coming almost daily of gender inequities and sexual harassment. And while many innovations around alternative vehicles make the news, this week in review also points you to the Trump administration’s stomp on the California high speed rail project. Shell and Toyota, which may seem like adversaries, have agreed to partner on a hydrogen fuel project. And two new technology ideas captured our attention for this week in review: first, a combined Hyperloop and space launch patent and, second, a drone that delivers UPS packages. So, sit back and enjoy this edition of the Gas2 Week in Review…

Tesla is expected to begin production of the newest electric vehicle in its catalog, the Model 3, in July. The announcement came as part of the Tesla Q4 and annual 2016 shareholders’ letter on Wednesday of this week. An entry level Model 3 will cost about $35,000, much lower than the Model S sedan and the Model X SUV. About 400,000 people have already signed to purchase one, which will be available initially only in limited quantities. Tesla has committed to building 5,000 Model 3 sedans a week by the end of 2017. “The rate of production is as fast as the slowest component in the vehicle,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk commented during a media Q&A call. “And when you have several thousand unique items, it can move as fast as the least likely and worst executing part of Tesla or our suppliers. That’s just the way it goes.”

A former employee and engineer, Susan Fowler, wrote a blog post this week in which she chronicled a year of work at Uber in which she and other females employees were objects of systematic sexual harassment. Fowler’s fact-is-stranger-than-fiction story became a wake-up call for Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, whose own sexual braggadocio has complicated accusations of gender imbalance at best and subjugation at worst at the ride-sharing company. In a subsequent memo, Kalanick revealed that Uber employs just 15 percent women in its technical roles. This story on our week in review will have lots of ramifications, not just for Uber but for the tech industry as a whole.

In a move that surprised few, new Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao has canceled $647 million in federal funds that were designated for the Peninsular electrification initiative and work on the LA to SF high speed rail project. Yes, transforming the Caltrain would have been expensive, but it have had the associated benefits of cleaner, quieter trains, a move away from today’s dirty diesel locomotives, more efficient schedules, and increased passenger capacity. The system’s ridership, which now tallies 62,000 riders a day, has doubled since 2009 and nearly tripled since 2004. The project endorsement was just supposed to be a formality capping a long period of review at the Federal Transit Administration; contractors were ready to start work on electrification on March 1.

Royal Dutch Shell, one of the world’s largest petroleum companies, has announced it will build seven hydrogen fueling stations in California to help support Toyota and its fuel cell, Mirai. With a goal of 100 fueling stations by 2024, the California Energy Board may add in $16 million to the project; Shell and Toyota have committed to investing $11.4 million of their own money. Toyota is moving forward with a hydrogen fuel cell program as a result of its belief that internal combustion engines are destined to be banned within our lifetimes. It has plans to eliminate them from its product lineup by 2050. Hydrogen fuel cells will serve as the major replacement, and Toyota is counting on research that suggests customers in the long run will prefer fuel cell cars over plug-in hybrids. The government of Japan is strongly backing the transition to hydrogen power.

A report from Navigant Research claims that electric truck sales will grow from roughly 31,000 worldwide in 2016 to more than 332,000 by 2026. The research firm believes the growth will be driven by economics — trucks with hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or electric powertrains will simply cost less to purchase and operate over their useful lifetime than diesel powered trucks. The calculus in favor such vehicles will only improve over time as battery prices fall and charging infrastructure increases.

Diesel trucks today are becoming more expensive as manufacturers add costly pollution control systems such as exhaust after treatment and advanced fuel injection systems to satisfy stricter emissions regulations. The higher the price of new diesel trucks, the more competitive alternatives like hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric trucks become. In addition, am electric truck typically has significantly lower fuel and maintenance costs. A professional fleet manager has to look at total cost when choosing which truck to buy. Return on investment is one key metric that can skew the decision in favor of a vehicle with alternative power.

In an odd twist of fate, the Volkswagen diesel emissions cheating scandal has had a knock on effect on how the public looks at all diesel vehicles. The illusion of “clean diesel technology” has now been shattered, thanks to VW. Four of the world’s largest cities have pledged to ban diesel powered vehicles from their streets completely by 2025. It is unlikely they would have taken such agressive action had the VW scandal not raised public awareness of the environmental hazards of diesel engines.

Also, general awareness of global climate change is higher now than ever before, thanks to the Paris climate accords agreed to by all the world’s nations last December. More and more corporations are adopting stricter environmental guidelines for their businesses both out of a desire to increase their “green” credentials with customers and a because of a recognition that climate change is not a hoax created by the Chinese and must be dealt with seriously.

An electric truck may be a hybrid — a vehicle that utilizes an onboard fossil fuel engine to recharge their batteries. The engine can vary from the tiny 648 cc two cylinder engine used by Workhorse to the natural gas powered turbine developed by Wrightspeed that burns so cleanly it meets California’s strict emissions standards without a catalytic converter. It can also include a conventional gasoline or diesel engine that keeps batteries charged during the work day. Plug-in hybrids simply allow the trucks to be recharged when not in use, which means the onboard range extender engine needs to run less frequently.

The multi-billion dollar Volkswagen “dieselgate” scandal surrounding the brand’s cheating on US emissions tests continues to generate fallout. The latest victim? That would be the 2017 Mercedes-Benz C300d. And that’s not the only Mercedes model to be hit by changes in the way the EPA certifies vehicles.

For Mercedes-Benz, delays caused by new EPA policies could force a number of changes to the automaker’s US lineup. The C-Class, GLC, GLE, and GLS diesel models have all been pushed back for 2017- and it’s not clear if they’ll be back for 2018, either.

For those of you keeping score, then, that means Volkswagen’s diesels are out. Audi’s diesels are out. Mercedes’ diesels are, apparently, on the way out now, too. As it stands, Jaguar is the only automaker ready to sell 2017 model year diesels in the US. Sure, BMW and GM (nee Chevy) are both anticipating their diesels to be cleared for sale before the end of the year. But that still just leaves Jaguar in the here and now. One brand, compared with nine brands offering twenty diesel models in the US this time last year

Nice job, VW.

What do you guys think? Is this an example of EPA regulations run amok, or is it finally time to admit that the testing procedures are- and have always been- fundamentally flawed? Let us know what you think in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Recently, Scott Cooney, founder of the Important Media group which includes Gas2, CleanTechnica and a dozen other websites that focus on sustainability, sat down for a chat with Ryan Popple, CEO of Proterra, the American electric bus company that is revolutionizing urban transportation.

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The content produced by this site is for entertainment purposes only. Opinions and comments published on this site may not be sanctioned by, and do not necessarily represent the views of Sustainable Enterprises Media, Inc., its owners, sponsors, affiliates, or subsidiaries.

The content produced by this site is for entertainment purposes only. Opinions and comments published on this site may not be sanctioned by, and do not necessarily represent the views of Sustainable Enterprises Media, Inc., its owners, sponsors, affiliates, or subsidiaries.